1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to traffic detecting and signaling and, more particularly, to a traffic detection and signal system and method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Within an industrial work environment, it is known that man and machine are often in close proximity to each other. Further, within an industrial work environment such as warehouses, plants, factories, lumber yards and shipping/loading docks, there exist a series of pathways having intersections and/or blind corners through which large objects such as machinery, forklifts, and loaders travel during operation.
Given the vision-obscured pathway intersections within industrial work environments, extreme caution should be taken by both persons and operators of large objects when traveling through such intersections, for the likelihood of severe damage to both person and large object may be great where another large object or person is approaching the same intersection from a different direction. Accordingly, when the operator of a large object is approaching one of these intersections, it is common to invoke an audible signal to warn any person or machine approaching the same intersection of its ensuing presence. However, the operator may not always practice this customary signaling. Further, the audible level of the surrounding workplace environment might be at such a high level that the customary audible signal may not be readily received by surrounding operators or persons.
Therefore, it is desirable to a system and method to detect when an object is approaching an intersection and provides a visual display to persons and operators of large objects operators adjacent the same intersection of an object's approach. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a system and method that meets this desire.